17th-century Quran, Ottoman periods 10 swords seized in ops in Istanbul

A 17th-century Quran and over a hundred other historical artifacts from the early and late Ottoman periods were seized in an anti-smuggling operation carried out in Istanbul on March 3.

Units of the Istanbul Police Department Anti-Smuggling Crimes Branch launched an investigation into suspects they believed were seeking to take the historical artifacts obtained illegally abroad.

In total, 144 artifacts dating to the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as a pistol dated to the Republican period, were seized.